KERUGOYA, Kenya, Aug 24 — Between three and eight people die by suicide every month in central Kenya counties, according to government data.
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has expressed concern over the rising cases, warning that the trend requires urgent and coordinated intervention.
Speaking in Kerugoya during the 33rd Jukwaa la Usalama grassroots security forum, Murkomen said the cases stem from multiple social and economic challenges.
“There is a very unique phenomenon in this region in general, and in this county in particular, about suicides. A significant number of people are taking their own lives, with causes ranging from family disputes to withdrawal from drugs and alcohol abuse,” Murkomen said.
He added that he would engage the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) to conduct an in-depth study into the root causes.
“This is a department within our ministry, and we need to facilitate them to research and tell us exactly what is driving these suicides,” he noted.
Rising family conflicts
The CS recounted that during a similar forum in Nyeri, chiefs had raised concerns that most victims were men aged 50 and above, many grappling with family conflicts, gender-based violence, inheritance disputes, or abandonment by spouses.
Murkomen emphasized the need for partnerships with county governments and administrators to sensitize communities and address the underlying problems, lamenting that mental health issues remain underfunded despite their devastating effects.
He further warned against drug and alcohol abuse, noting that in Kirinyaga County, many young people were addicted to Makabo, a local brew made from molasses and other ingredients.
The CS also cautioned cannabis smugglers supplying the region from Kajiado, Kakamega, Machakos, Vihiga and Nairobi counties, promising a crackdown.
Murkomen lauded ongoing inter-agency operations targeting illegal bars and outlets in Kirinyaga, disclosing that over 2,000 outlets exist in the county, with more than half operating without licenses. He vowed to shut down all unlicensed establishments.
